Flash Reviews

This endearing kid-flick's strong moral compass one — the kind not usually associated with Disney fare — helps it navigate through grave matters, including death of a relative and foreclosure. Young Connor Strong (Lucas Black) surprises his family by bonding with Flash, a farm horse that likes to race. When the horse's impoverished owners offer to sell Flash for $500 dollars, Connor begs his dad (Brian Kerwin) and grandma Laura (Ellen Burstyn) to purchase the animal. The determined Connor works part-time and exhibits a newfound maturity that impels his dad to give in, even though he's also financially strapped. Mr. Strong accepts a stint with the merchant marines and entrusts a $5,000 advance to Connor's grandmother, but after his departure, Grandma Laura discovers the bank has seized the deposit for delinquent mortgage payments. Forced to take a taxing job at the local textile mill, Grandma Laura dies from a heart attack. Unable to reach his dad at sea and determined to honor his grandmother with a proper funeral, Connor reluctantly sells Flash to wealthy Mr. Rutherford (Tom Nowicki), who wants his timid son, Tad (Shawn Toovey), to enter equine competitions. Working as a stable boy so he can remain close to his horse, Connor objects to Mr. Rutherford's harsh treatment of Flash. Because he disappoints his dad with a second-place finish at a horse show, a frustrated Tad whips Flash; Flash fights back and Mr. Rutherford threatens to shoot the horse. Connor steals Flash and embarks on a trek from Atlanta, GA to the New York City docks, racing to meet his dad's boat. Mr. Rutherford, in turn, informs the authorities that Connor is a horse thief. Can Connor and Flash complete their desperate journey despite Mr. Rutherford's efforts? The strong suit of this four-legged-friend opus is the way in which Connor's devotion to his pet parallels his growing sense of responsibility to other people. Though not a classic on the order of THE BLACK STALLION (1979) or NATIONAL VELVET (1944), FLASH nevertheless presents a sincere argument that the animals deserve the same respect as humans.